


Tied Like Two in Tethers

by saffrondawn



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 01:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4768673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saffrondawn/pseuds/saffrondawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ronan twiddles the ring between his fingers, noticing the differences among the ring from his dream, the ring in his hand, and the ring his father had conjured from his dreams for his mother. This one was the heaviest of them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tied Like Two in Tethers

Ronan twiddles the ring between his fingers, noticing the differences among the ring from his dream, the ring in his hand, and the ring his father had conjured from his dreams for his mother. This one was the heaviest of them all. He wasn't sure it was because Cabeswater had lifted some of its weight in the dream. Or it could have been his mother's hands were lighter than Adam's, less callous than Adams' overworked and heavily chapped hands. Ronan knew he would prefer Adam's over any other person's hands. That night, when Ronan knew there was no one else, Cabeswater presented him with the ring. When he woke, he spent ten minutes examining the heavy metal. Its shape resembled that of a Claddagh ring, but it was formed with the dark, strong metal of tungsten. Despite its beauty, he was worried that Adam couldn't wear it. His factory would not allow such a trinket and the people at school would tease the femininity of the gift. Adam wouldn't care about the jibes as long as Ronan and Gansey were there, but Ronan would find means of retaliation.

Ronan glanced at the clock on the BMW's dashboard – it was a few minutes after Adam's shift at the garage was supposed to end. Ronan debated giving his boyfriend a few more minutes before he caught the slumped figure walking toward him. Ronan could see the frown etched on his features and the tiredness in his step. Ronan whistled and Adam looked up, rejuvenating him to make the short walk to the passenger side of the BMW.

“Are we going to the Barns today?” Adam asked as he climbed into the car. His clothes were clean from his work jumpsuit and his hands devoid of oil stains but cracking to almost bleeding.

“I was thinking yours,” Ronan said as he headed in the direction of St. Agnes. “You can shower and then meet everyone at Nino's.”

“Good, I stink.”

“You don't stink.”

Ronan caught Adam's questioning stare. “I've been under the hood of a junker for the past eight hours. I stink of a garage and the only reason why my hands aren't too bad is because of some mineral stuff we got.”

Ronan grabbed Adam's left hand and his lips connected with dry skin. “But it makes your hands crack.”

Adam grinned, “That's why I have my dreamer.”

Ronan picked a spot in the parking lot and got out, meeting Adam at the hood. He grabbed the front of his boyfriend's shirt and pulled, “And I my magician.”

They walked up to Adam's room where Adam headed straight to wash up and Ronan sat on the bed, the hand cream from Cabeswater and the ring he dreamt in his lap. He ran through the different scenarios as to how he was going to give him the ring. He was on to plan #36 when Adam returned freshly clean. Ronan quickly hid the ring and pat the bed in front of him. Adam smiled, sat down, and placed his hands on Ronan's knees. Once they started spending time alone, Ronan got in the habit of moisturizing his hands so it would hurt less whenever Adam worked too much.

“How was work?” Ronan asked as he took some of the cream. It was getting low and he would have to ask Cabeswater for more. Adam relayed his day as Ronan started at the wrists, working to the back of his hands, then the palms where calluses were developing more as each day passed, and then to his digits. His focus zeroed in on making sure they were soft so the ring could slip on easily.

_The ring._

“Shit,” Rona whispered.

“What's up, Lynch?” Adam's hands were out of Ronan's and putting the cream back where it was stored.

Ronan took a deep breath, “I have something for you.” He pulled out the ring. “It's a Claddagh. My dad gave my mom one. It's an Irish thing.” He could feel himself stuttering over his words. “The crown represents loyalty. The hands are friendship. The heart represents love.” He found himself twiddling with the object again until Adam stilled the nervous action.

“It looks great,” Adam said lifting Ronan's chin which had lowered his nerves.

“It's for you. If you want,” Ronan cleared his throat. “You don't have to.”

“Where'd you get it?”

“Cabeswater. I was dreaming one night about my mom's ring and this came out.”

Adam lightly touched the ring, “I'll wear it.”

Ronan broke out into a smile. He took Adam's right hand, placed a kiss on the ring finger, and slipped the ring on. “When the heart is pointed toward you, it means you're in a relationship. You put it on your left hand when you're engaged or married.”

Adam chuckled, “You planning on changing that, Lynch?”

“One day, Parrish.”

*****

“Hey, Parrish. What's that?”

Adam looked up from the last math problem that was due next period. The student who asked was someone with a name he couldn't remember. “Math homework.” He really shouldn't have been working on it, but the Latin teacher was a few minutes late and Adam needed another thirty seconds to finish it.

“No. The ring,” the student laughed.

Adam looked down at his right hand and smiled. He hadn't forgotten it was there – Ronan's devotion to his hands increased tenfold since the ring became a part of himself. The size was perfect, but he didn't wear it at work much to his disappointment. He knew the ring's metal could withstand anything. “Just a ring.”

“From Gansey?” The student asked in a way that sounded crude.

“From me, dumb ass,” Ronan said from the other side of Adam. He had closed his eyes against his better judgment. His sleep patterns were disrupted with driving back and forth to the Barns and Adam's late nights.

“You gay or something?”

Adam rolled his eyes before turning to Ronan and pulling him into a kiss. When they were done, Adam sat back a little and whispered, “I don't have work after school, so early night in. To sleep, Ronan.” Adam knew how his boyfriend's wicked thoughts worked. “I need my dreamer on top form.”

*****

Ronan woke abruptly. He had been dreaming, yet, but that wasn't what brought him out of dreamworld. Adam, that's who woke him up. Adam and his whimpers and tossing on the bed. Whatever was in his dreams was the cause of his pain.

“Adam,” he whispered as he shook him gently, “Adam, please wake up. Please, darling.”

He woke up frozen to the spot and his breathing ragged. He blinked rapidly until he turned his head a little to see Ronan there. He closed his eyes and gave a sigh of relief. “You're here.” His voice sounded off as if he was holding back tears.

“Hey. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere,” Ronan said as he stroked Adam's cheek.

“One day you will.” Adam's eyes were still closed.

The dream. The one Ronan couldn't save Adam from. The one where Adam's father beats his son and repeats how he will never be happy. The one where Adam finds Ronan's body beaten to death for being the Greywaren. The one where he spends the rest of his days as the lone magician.

“It's not going to happen, Adam. I'm not leaving you. Your dad is wrong, everyone is wrong. We'll go together, but if I die before you die, I'll carve your name out of the sky. And if you die before I die, I'll fall asleep with your memory and dream us.”

Adam opened his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He tossed to retrieve something from his backpack. He grabbed Ronan's left hand, a ring ready to be slipped on. It was a Claddagh, an exact replica of the one Adam wore, but with a hint of forest of moss embedded in its metal. _Cabeswater._ Ronan nodded and Adam slipped it on, the opposite hand of his own. “Then I will love you until I die.”

Ronan took Adam's right hand, took the ring off, and put it on his left. He leaned forward so the pain shared the same air, “Until we die.”

*****

“This is going to be legal, right?” Gansey asked as he flipped through his note cards.

“You're the one who looked this up,” Blue said, across from him.

“I'm sure it will, dear,” Ronan's mother said from a rock she sat on in the forest of Cabeswater.

“Yeah, the Internet wouldn't just give you a minister's license,” Noah said from the spot from where he and Matthew sat. Several pairs of eyes looked at him, debating if he was serious.

“It's legal, Gansey. We made sure.” They all turned to Ronan and Adam holding hands, wearing nice shirts and slacks like the rest of the party, walking down the makeshift aisle of guests. They had all the people they needed – Aurora, Matthew, Gansey, Blue, and Noah. Adam had promised Ronan they could flaunt their marriage in Declan's face the next time they saw him.

“We wouldn't want to have Ronan get married again,” Adam teased.

Ronan pulled him closer, “To you? I would do it every day.”

“Oh God, can we start this before we die of cuteness?” Noah screeched. Aurora laughed as she stood near Matthew.

“All right,” Gansey said as Ronan and Adam stood closer to him. “So, um, what we're here for today is the marriage of Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish in front of friends and family. They're alike in so many ways, but it looks if they've developed together to make a formidable team.”

Adam leaned toward Ronan and whispered, “Dreamer.”

Ronan grinned and whispered back, “Magician.” 

“And now they're together today to make it official by way of Virginia courts and thought I would be the most likely candidate to do this. Anyway, I couldn't think of what else to say or how else I was to do this until Adam gave me an idea.”

Ronan looked at Adam with a questioning look. Adam kissed his temple, “Don't worry.”

“Adam,” Gansey caught his attention. “If you would repeat after me: You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, but while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me, for I am a free person. I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night and the eyes into which I smile in the morning. I pledge to you my living and dying, equally in your care and tell no strangers our grievances. This is my wedding vow to you. This is a marriage of equals.”

Adam repeated the words after Gansey. When he was done, tears of joy were threatening to fall. Ronan repeated the words, too, but there was something to it. Adam knew they were surrounded by Cabeswater, but he felt an extra bubble around him and Ronan. Cabeswater had started this and Cabeswater wanted to celebrate.

Gansey cleared his throat, “You two weren't clear on the rings.”

Ronan took Adam's left hand, kissed the ring, and turned it around so it resembled the way Adam wore it when he was first gifted it. Adam repeated the action, but held onto his now-husband's hands.

“Well, by the power gifted by whatever website Noah had signed me up for, but is definitely legal, I now pronounce you married by the commonwealth of Virginia. I present to all of you, the married Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish.”

Matthew and Noah blew noise makers while Aurora and Blue clapped and cheered louder. Ronan and Adam collided and didn't care that they were making out in front of their family. When they were done and just sharing quick kisses, everyone began the trek back to the cars to caravan back to Fox Way.

Aurora held back to catch Ronan, “I'm so proud of of you.”

Ronan blushed, “Thank you, Mom.”

Aurora directed her attention to Adam, “I'm so happy for you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lynch.”

They reached the edge of Cabeswater where Aurora couldn't walk any further. Ronan released the hold he had on Adam and hugged his mother. “I'll be back,” he whispered into her ear.

“I know. But take the time to enjoy it with Adam.” She kissed his cheek, “Goodbye, sweetheart.”

“Goodbye, Mom.”

Aurora walked over to Matthew to say goodbye. Adam kissed Ronan's temple, “Ready to go? I'll drive.”

Ronan nodded and handed his car keys to Adam. They retreated to the BMW while Gansey, Blue, Noah, and Matthew piled into the Pig. The drive to Fox Way was shorter than originally thought, but it could have been the excitement for the reception Blue's family was holding for them. When they pulled up in front of the house, Maura ran out.

“You two,” pointing at Ronan and Adam. “Stay out of here until the others get here.”

“Why can't we go inside?” Ronan asked in an exasperated manner.

“Set up and drive faster than legally allowed,” Maura returned in the same tone.

The Pig screeched to a halt behind the BMW. Blue exited the car first looking frazzled, “What's wrong with you, Lynch? You couldn't wait five seconds.”

“We wanted to start our wedding reception,” Adam said before engaging Ronan in a longer than necessary to get his point across kiss.

Maura tapped them both on the shoulders, “All right now. It's time.” She led the pair into the house and found everyone else had already entered. Everyone was cheering again, including Calla and Orla, and two glasses were handed to Ronan and Adam.

“We can either do the drinking now or do the dance,” Orla said, heading toward a stereo.

Ronan took a drink from his glass and then set it down, “Dance.” He turned to Adam, “You're going to love it.”

Adam set down his glass and moved to the center of the living room. He grabbed for Ronan and held each other close. When the familiar music started, he couldn't help but laugh.

_Squash one, squash two, squash three..._

The number of groans that rang from the people in the room almost drowned out the music, but Ronan and Adam didn't care. Adam was bursting with laughter and Ronan couldn't get over how it became their song. How he would play it loudly as they headed toward the Barns. How Adam would find himself tapping his fingers to the beat in class. How they would add their own sound effects to the song. How they once thought it would be interesting to have sex to the song, but that ended up in laughter and the obnoxious sound effects resonating through Adam's room.

Adam wrapped his arms around Ronan's neck and moved any closer if it was possible, “My dreamer.”

Ronan pulled Adam in further by his waist, “My magician.”

**Author's Note:**

> The vows are a cut up variation of traditional Celtic marriage vows. I kept the parts that I thought reflected Ronan and Adam. Also, I can't seem to remember where I found them.
> 
> Comments are deeply appreciated so I know if I'm interpreting the characters correctly.


End file.
